Generally, the chocolate has such a structure in which fine particles such as cacao, milk, and sugars are dispersed in oils and fats. Namely, a general chocolate uses oils and fats which easily dissolve on account of increase in temperature as a dispersing base. Therefore, the chocolate is no heat stable, and as the oils and fats dissolve, deterioration in quality takes place such as sticking to hands, blooming and the like.
In order to improve such properties of the chocolate, many studies have been hitherto done to achieve a heat resistant chocolate.
For example, as a means for giving heat resistance to a chocolate there has been proposed a technique in which a moisture content is added to the chocolate, thereby a framework structure is formed to increase the heat resistance.
The technique for giving heat resistance by adding the moisture content can be classified as follows:
(1) one in which water as such is added, PA0 (2) one in which an emulsion of water and oils and fats (a W/O type emulsion) is added, PA0 (3) one in which a water-containing material (starch gel and the like) is added, and PA0 (4) one in which an emulsion of a water-containing material and oils and fats (a W/O type emulsion) is added. PA0 a. one in which a moisture content is directly added, and PA0 b. one in which a W/O type emulsion comprising a water phase portion and an oil phase portion is added.
The above mentioned four kinds of techniques in which the heat resistance lacking in the original chocolate is given by adding the moisture content to the chocolate can be classified into the following two types in accordance with the presence or absence of oils and fats in the additives:
Among them, in the method in which a moisture content is directly added, it is impossible to homogeneously disperse the moisture content in the chocolate. Therefore, cohesion of water-soluble components is apt to take place due to partial localization of the moisture content to cause a rough feeling in the mouth. In addition, the increase in viscosity is considerable during addition of the moisture content to the chocolate, therefore, when the chocolate of this type is produced, the added amount of the moisture content cannot be made very high.
On the other hand, a method for adding a W/O type emulsion comprising a water phase portion and an oil phase portion is described, for example, in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 57-115140. This producing method is one in which a W/O type emulsion is formed by crystallization of oils and fats, which is mixed with a chocolate in a state of powder or cream to give heat resistance. However, the emulsion according to this method is unstable, and destruction of the emulsion rapidly takes place due to friction heat and the like during mixing with the chocolate, resulting in formation of a local heat resistant framework structure due to the moisture content, so that deterioration in quality such as a scratchy feeling or rough feeling takes place.